Shloka 146
Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga
Path to Yama
त्रयोदश प्रतीहाराः श्रवणा नाम तत्र वै / श्रवणाकर्मतस्तुष्यन्त्यन्यथा क्रोधमाप्नुयुः
trayodaśa pratīhārāḥ śravaṇā nāma tatra vai / śravaṇākarmatastuṣyantyanyathā krodhamāpnuyuḥ
There, indeed, are thirteen gatekeepers called the Śravaṇas. They are pleased when the prescribed act of “hearing/attentive listening” is duly performed; otherwise, they become angry.
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Concept: Śravaṇa (attentive hearing) as a prescribed act: receptivity to instruction and due procedure pacifies guardians; negligence provokes obstruction.
Vedantic Theme: Śravaṇa as the first limb of jñāna-mārga (śravaṇa–manana–nididhyāsana), here mirrored in a moral-cosmic register; discipline of attention.
Application: Cultivate attentive listening to ethical counsel and scripture; follow procedures carefully (ritual, legal, professional); avoid careless disregard of guidance.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: city gate/threshold
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: gate/guard motifs and procedural tests before entering Yama’s domains (adjacent passages); Garuda Purana: praise of śravaṇa of Viṣṇu-kathā and dharma as purifying (general internal theme)
FAQs
This verse presents śravaṇa as a required duty/observance that pacifies the Śravaṇa gatekeepers; neglecting it is portrayed as provoking obstruction through their anger.
It implies that the post-death passage involves guarded thresholds; correct observances (here, śravaṇa) help ensure smooth passage, while negligence can create resistance from the guardians.
Cultivate disciplined listening to dharma-teachings and perform rites with attentiveness and accuracy—treating “hearing and heeding” as a real ethical and ritual responsibility, not a formality.